NEVADA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER  IN THE NEWS

Nevada Regional Medical Center (NRMC) is pleased to announce it has received a $100,000 gift from the Patterson Family Foundation to help fund a cardiac monitoring equipment system update that will span three years and total more than $673,000.

The first phase of the project approved by the hospital board of directors will cost a total of $310,000. This initial phase will include new GE cardiac monitors for all emergency and operating rooms, and is expected to take approximately three months to complete.

“Although all areas of the hospital care are equally important,” says Tara Garrett, Chief Nursing Officer at NRMC. “We chose to start with the emergency department and operating rooms because these areas have the greatest volume of critical patients.”

Cardiac monitoring systems are used to track vital signs such as heart rate and oxygen saturation, as well as breathing pattern and electrical heart patterns. In the past, monitors did not include the ability to trace the heart’s electrical activity via 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG). A separate machine would have been wheeled in for a patient with a cardiac history or as needed. The new monitors will include 12-lead EKG, giving a thorough picture of heart activity at any moment. The constant monitoring alerts nursing staff to a problem, allowing for quick intervention and providing real-time feedback on how well that intervention is working.

“This project is an important investment in the care we provide,” said Garrett. “These monitors are state-of-the-art and the upgrade shows our commitment to our patients.”

Information collected through the cardiac monitors will feed directly into the patient’s chart which has multiple benefits. The automatic recording of information eliminates the chance for human error, reduces workload on staff and gives the nurses and physicians the opportunity to simultaneously monitor the health of multiple individuals from one location.

The Patterson Family Foundation is a family-led foundation extending the legacy of Neal and Jeanne Patterson through collaborations in health care, education and rural communities. They are geographically focused on impacting Kansas and Western Missouri counties with fewer than 50,000 residents.

“Patterson Family Foundation is pleased to contribute funding to Nevada Regional Medical Center as front-line providers and staff work tirelessly to care for patients. We hope this funding helps NRMC purchase the critical equipment and supplies needed to treat COVID-19. It is both our privilege and pleasure to offer a helping hand to rural communities navigating through these unprecedented times,” PFF added.